#WomensMonth | From waitress to GM: Jessica Redinger on leading people and building careers

Source: Supplied | Jessica Redinger, General Manager, HYDE Johannesburg Rosebank

She became a general manager in December 2020 and later led the opening of voco The Bank Johannesburg Rosebank, which launched in February 2022 as Africa's first voco hotel. She subsequently guided the property through its transition from voco to Hyde Johannesburg Rosebank.

For Women's Month, Bizcommunity caught up with Redinger about leading through change, developing future leaders, authentic leadership and creating opportunities for women in hospitality.

You started your hospitality career on the frontline before working your way into senior leadership. Can you tell us about that journey, and how those early experiences shaped the leader you are today?

My hospitality journey began in 2001, when I started out as a waitress at one of South Africa's iconic hotels on the Durban beachfront. I was fortunate enough to be invited to study hotel management through the group’s work/study programme, and I obtained my diploma in Hospitality Management over three years. Since then, I've worked in every operational department within the hospitality industry, and it’s made all the difference.

Starting on the floor taught me lessons I still carry with me. When you've waited tables and worked shifts alongside a team, you understand the day-to-day realities of the job, and you never lose sight of the people who make a hotel run.

That grounding is why I lead the way I do: with empathy, with respect for every role in the building, and with a real appreciation for the effort that goes into a great guest experience.

You've been involved in opening new properties and leading major brand transitions. What have those experiences taught you about leading teams through change?

One of the most rewarding experiences of my career has been helping launch Hyde Johannesburg Rosebank and see it develop into the special property it is today – building the culture, handpicking the team, and guiding it through its transition and rebranding.

Leading a brand transition is exciting, but it can also be unsettling, which taught me just how important it is to have the right people alongside you – and to be open and honest with them every step of the way.

When your team trusts that you have their best interests at heart, they embrace change rather than fear it, and they become your greatest asset in making that transition a success.

The hospitality industry offers countless career paths, yet many young professionals don't always see those opportunities. How can the sector do a better job of attracting and retaining talented women?

I think the industry has come a long way, but there's still work to do. One of the most powerful things we can do is show young women what's possible – visible female role models and mentors make an enormous difference.

When I started out, hospitality was a very male-dominated industry, and having someone to look up to and learn from can completely change the trajectory of a young woman's career.

Mentorship is close to my heart. One of my proudest moments was watching my former deputy general manager go on to be appointed general manager at a global hotel brand in Sandton.

For me, that's what it's about: actively creating opportunities for growth and building environments where women feel supported enough to put themselves forward. So much of it comes down to helping women recognise their own potential, because we don't always see it in ourselves.

If the sector keeps investing in mentorship, flexibility and genuine inclusion, we won't only attract talented women, we'll keep them.

You've often spoken about the importance of developing people. What qualities do you look for when identifying future leaders within your own team?

It starts when recruiting for Hyde, and really looking for people who have a passion for hospitality. They don't necessarily have to have all the knowledge and skills; it comes down to an attitude and outlook.

You can always teach somebody a skill, but their outlook is so important. We're also a really small, dynamic team, so I look for self-motivated people who don't require micromanagement. I don't micromanage as a general manager; I hire people because I trust them and their abilities.

Every hotel has its own personality. How do you create an environment where both guests and employees feel genuinely connected to the brand?

For me, it's about allowing employees to shine – and letting our crew be themselves. When people feel confident and accepted, they do their best work and guests feel that. It helps create a genuine connection between our guests and crew. Hyde is a warm, welcoming place, and we see it come through in our guest surveys all the time.

The other big part is giving people room to be creative in their roles. When someone brings an idea forward and we actually run with it, they feel heard, and they take real pride in their work.

What achievement in your career makes you pause and think, ‘This is why I chose hospitality’?

Honestly, my proudest achievement is leading this property as general manager and steering it through its transition. Being able to handpick my own team meant a great deal to me, because this is such a people-oriented business – if it isn't about the guests, it's about the staff.

I had the chance to build and develop a culture that would genuinely benefit everyone in it, and it's been a real success. Our staff retention is excellent, people want to come to work, and the workplace is genuinely fun and rewarding. That's why people stay.

What's one lesson you've learned over the years that you wish more emerging leaders understood?

The biggest lesson I've ever learned is that the more authentic you are with people, the better. As the saying goes, like draws like. If you're open, honest and authentic with the people you deal with every day, you're bound to receive the same in return.

Yes, in hospitality, there are days when you have to put a smile on your face and head out onto the floor, but what matters is being your true, authentic self with your crew. When they see that, they feel free to be authentic too – and that's what allows them to create genuine experiences for our guests.

As we celebrate Women's Month, what would you like young women considering careers in hospitality to know about the opportunities that await them?

My advice would be to believe in your potential. If you're passionate, resilient and creative, and you genuinely enjoy making a difference in the lives of others – whether it's your crew or your guests – you're going to excel in this industry. No matter your position, there is a place for you in hospitality, and I'm a prime example of that.

I started out as a waitress 25-odd years ago, when it was a very male-dominated industry, and while that's still the case to some extent, it's changing now, with a real focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. It was my tenacity, passion and resilience that carried me, and if you have those qualities, you can go very far.

The wonderful thing about hospitality is that every day brings new experiences and new challenges, and with them the opportunity to learn. Don't let stereotypes hold you back – or, for us as women, self-doubt.

We don't always see our own potential, so seek out mentors who will help you succeed. Women bring a different element to hospitality; we tend to be more compassionate and caring, and those are real strengths in this industry. So, my message to young women is simple: pursue your ambitions with confidence.